Questions and straight answers
Including the awkward ones about where the numbers come from and what we cannot do.
About the tools
Is Passive Array really free?
Yes, and there is no trial to expire. Every tool works without an account, without a card and without a credit limit. The site runs on free hosting and free API allowances, which is why it can stay that way.
Do I need an account?
No. Every tool works without one. A free account adds a watchlist of up to 3 channels and the weekly email preference, and holds nothing else.
Will the tools I use today start costing money?
No. Pro, at $9 a month, only covers the things that cost real money to run: watching up to 100 channels with daily snapshots, the Monday email and CSV export. Every tool and research feed stays free.
Is there a catch, like ads or selling my data?
There are no ads and nothing you type is sold or shared. Most tools never send your input anywhere at all; the ones that do say so on the page. We do count which tools get used, with Google Analytics, and only after you accept it in the banner. You can turn it back off from the Cookie choices link in the footer.
Where the numbers come from
How accurate are the earnings figures?
They are ranges, not payslips. Revenue per thousand views swings with niche, audience country and Shorts share, so any single figure would be misleading. We show the range and the assumption behind each end, and you can change the assumptions.
Why does the subscriber count not match YouTube exactly?
YouTube rounds public subscriber counts to three significant figures in its API, so 1,234,567 reaches every third-party tool as 1.23M. Views and video counts are exact.
Why do you not show search volume for keywords?
Because nobody outside Google has YouTube's search volume. Every tool showing one is modelling it, then presenting the guess with a precision it has not earned. We show what the top results are actually doing, which is measured.
Why are the Instagram and TikTok tools based on numbers I type in?
Neither platform offers a free public API for follower and engagement data, and scraping them breaks their terms. Rather than build on something that would break or get us blocked, those tools ask you for the numbers and are honest about it.
What does the quality score actually measure?
Engagement rate against the benchmark for that channel size, views per subscriber, upload consistency and channel age, combined into a score out of 100. The page lists each part and its weight.
Using the tools
A tool says the quota is used up. What now?
The live YouTube and Twitch tools run on a free daily allowance that resets at midnight Pacific time. Everything that does not need live data keeps working.
Can I link to a result?
Yes. Most tools accept the input in the address, for example adding ?channel=@handle, and every result page has a copy-link button.
Is there a browser extension?
Yes, and it is free. It puts engagement rate, hidden tags, views per day and a keyword score on YouTube's video, channel and search pages, and suggests tags inside YouTube Studio.
Do the AI generators make things up?
They are instructed not to, and they only work from what you type. If an input is empty they write a [placeholder] in square brackets rather than inventing a fact, a number or a testimonial.
Compared with other tools
How is this different from vidIQ?
vidIQ is a subscription with a free sample attached: a monthly AI credit allowance and a sign-up before you see anything. Here nothing is gated. vidIQ does things we cannot, such as reading your own private analytics and publishing for you. The full comparison is on its own page.
How is this different from TubeBuddy?
TubeBuddy connects to your YouTube account and can change things inside it, including running thumbnail A/B tests, which is genuinely worth paying for. We never ask for that access, so we cover everything that happens before you publish.
Should I use Passive Array instead of paying for one of them?
For research, titles, tags, descriptions, channel checks and pricing, yes. If you need thumbnail testing, bulk editing or coaching tuned to your own retention data, pay for the tool that does it. Plenty of people use both.
Not answered here?
Ask directly. Replies come by email, usually within two working days.